Art of perforating music-strips.



n. P. BALL. y ABT 0F PERFORATING MUSIC STRIPS.

APPLIOATION FILED HAR. 28. 1904.

Patented July 19,1910.

a SHEETS-snm' 1.

FIGB.

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H. P. BALL. ABT 0F PHBFOBATING IUSIG STRIPS.

' APPLIon-Io'n funn 11113.28. 1904. 964,951 Patented July 19,1910.

` a SHEETS-sum 2. E' I Gr. 6.

Entrar Enron BALL,

OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR- 0F ONE-I-IALF T. SAMUEL INSULL, 0l" CHGAGO, ELLINOIS.

r .liar or rnnronn'riive ifmsic-siennes.v

Senesi.

Speccaton of Letters Patent: y Pat'nted 'July 19. '1910,-

Application led March 28, 1904. Serial No. 200,277.

To all whom 'it `muy con-ccm:

Be it known that I, HENRY Psion BALL, a citizen of ,the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of N ew York, have invented an Improvement in the Art cf Perforating Music-Strips, of which the following is a specification.

Music strips have heretofore been perforated by hand or through the instrumentality of a series of mechanically driven punches, controlled in their action by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical devices.

The production of music strips by hand is very slow, laborious and expensive,l and by mechanical devices, while'much faster, thereby decreasing the cost of production, is unsatisfactory owing principallyjto the fact that the mechanical-devices used are not able to exactly record, by a series of perforations, the physical acts of a performerin striking notes, for example upon, the keyboardzofa piano or other musical instrument; @is for, instance, it has been i found, the movementy lof the ngers of a. performer may be so quick, that the mechanical `pei'forating device employed cannot respond to such movement, and` will thereforefail to produce the required perforations'. Further, a note may be repeats-deo quickly, the mechanical devices employed willvv not form a series of .separate round holes indicative of successive notes played, z. e., reproductions of the same note, but will produce an elongatedhole, or otherwise, a per foration such as is commonly. made to produce, and which represents, a sustained note.

Further, the perforating mechanism heretofore employed, must be initially set `Aor adjusted for each different musical compositionto be perforated in a music strip, which act requires vthe expenditure of time, and materially adds tothe cost of the production of the music. strip.V Furthenin order to prevent alterations in theY musical' score "as perforated, frointhat` played and l l l.

due to the absence of a. definite. `v

l-niechanical relation between'I,` the acts of the performer and the responsive, acts of the ypei"i'"'ointing mechanism, conoplicated corrective mechanism is necessary..v My invention is intended to overcome the., difficulties heretofore found. in exactlyrea cording iu a music strip by a series of per-1 forations, the physical acts of the perforiner,=

tions, so thatfiv `:forating mecha t ycarry y.my inventionpinto,v

l and isbased upon the following proposition,

namely:

The movements of a performers fingers. on a keyboard are veryv erratic when considered with respect to the regularity of movement of a perfor-ating machine. For example, While ,the performer may strike, say 300 repetitions a minute, the interval of tiinebetween each l/SO'Gof a minute, but willvary from this amount alittle more or less. The movement of his fingers in striking the keys will also vary, for example, his fingers may hold the key down for a greater or less proportion of thetinie between the successive downward movements of the same key. lt is to care for these `and 'similar idiosyncrasies in the performers movements that Ihave devised the lmethod herein described In this specification I will describe my improvement inthe artt of perforating a musniestigipas resulting from the acts of' a performer board.' ,the initial movement of tlieperforatiiig mechanism, may be cai'ised by the physical effects of a master. strip or commercial'inusic strip operating through the usual tracker-board and. pneumatic` orl electrically actuated mechanism. I

luf a series of applications heretofore bledv by me, l have lfully described various forms of mechanism for perforating music str-ips in all of whicn a timing'deviceis used,t and y lsesf given the saine l,

whereby successive impu key will result in a succession of independent perforations, with a given amount iofcunperforated material between such` perforahen such musicstrip is fused over a tracker-board to reproduce the: original tones, they will be asdistinct and separate as when first played, in fact the same as played by the performer. fore in this applicationY .description of the .different types voiifper-lk nism which may be usedfto IIn the. drawingszl Figure' 1 isafront elevation ofv a7 perforatingymechanism.` A Figs. 2,- 3 and 4,. are vvertical sections -on' the-lineA d I illustra-te the different? positionsof theparts during themovement.

stroke will not be exactly rin striking the' keys of a' keywish itvunderstood, however, that movement which results in the l willl there-.- give but-- a ,general ,v

4 punching mechanism,

master y roll or vsneed shaft, and which is driven 2i of a punch. in making perforation. Fig. 4.5 is plan view or a music strip having racl hole pertorations, joined' perforations and separate pergtoi'atitais. Fig. 6 is side elevation showing a modification my invention. Fig. is a similar view showing another modification. Fig. 8 is a 'vertical section through a piano and perforating mechanism, and illustrating how the perforating mechanism may be actuated by the move ment of the piano act-ion. Figs. 9 and 10 are corresponding views, showing a perforating mechanism and controlling means energized either by means of a weight or an electric device. Fig ll, an enlargedfside View of the hammer mechanism and controL ling valve shown. in lFig. 10. Figs/12 and 13 are respectively a vertical and a hori- Zontal Referring to the drawings:

l will first generally describe the perforating mechanisms shown in Figs. l., 2, 3 and 4.

20 indicates one or' the keys of a piano1 At the rear end ot such lreyA is a rod 2l, ccniiected its upper end to pivoted lever 22. Secured to the 'rear end of this lever isv a cord 23, which connected at its upper end to the pivoted bell cranks 24, 25. Bell cranks 24, 25, controlr the action of the that is to say, a pair of such bell cranks is employed with cach punch, and manifestly there will he as many punches as there are notes to be perforated.

l have shown the keys of means employed for moving 24, 25, which lcontrol the punches. pieviously stated, l may substitute for such. keys, any mechanical 4device actuated by a a commercial roll, for con trolling' the action of the perforating mechanism.

The pei'forating mechan consists of a shaft 26, which i the bell crai as term the high by a gear in mesh with gear 23 on shaft 29, which shaft l term the slow speed shaft. Motion is given to shaft 29 through a motor not Ashown) transmitting power through pulley 30, belt 3l., and pulley 32 on shaft 29.

The high speed shaftl 26 is arranged to make four revolutions to one of the shaft 29. VLocated on shaft 26 are series of eccentrics 33, eacli'carrying a punch 34, arranged 'to reciprocate through a die seat 35, over which the music strip 36' is progressively moved.

Themusic strip 36 is adapted to be given a forward movement by means of a friction roll 37, which is driven by shaft 38, .interposed between the high speed shalt 26 and roll 37. vlt will'thus be seen, that the movementv of the paper forward has a direct relation The'arrangement is preferably such that the music strip will make a forward movement wom/id from roll 39 onto roll section through the controlling valve.`

a piano as the'.

cured to the shaft 29 employed,

' top of the figure are -used to uniformly advance to the speed of the shaft 26.'

esenti vures for moving the music strip, is designed to give the strip a step by movement, the strip being step forward continuously l do i ot, however, liinit'myself to this method 'of moving the music strip, as it may be given a continuous forward movement, as is illustrated and described in my Patent No. 778,335, dated January 3, 1905.

How the musicstrip is moved is .not essential, provided it be given a .delinite forward movement having a mathematical relation to the high speed shaft 26.

Mounted on and secured to the high speed shaft 26, are the toothed wheels 41. These wheels are located and are each providedwith a single tooth.

Pivotally mounted on each eccentric 33 and over a toot-hed wheel 4l, isV a spring pressed latch 42: l'lvlhen such latch is out.

Aof engagement with the toothed wheel 4l, as shown in Fig. 2, no movement will be .iinMA v parted to the eccentric 33 by the rotation of the shaft 26, but on the other hand, when a latch is in engagement with a toothed wheel, as'shown iii Fig. 4, movement .will be given to aneccentr'ic which will reciprocate the punch 3.4, carried by'it.

The position or each latch 42, is controlled by means of a pivoted trip 'lever 43. The upper end of a trip lever 43 is situated lin the path of movement ot the periphery of a cam 44 on shaft'29. Mounted on and se.l between the cams 44 are the toothed wheels 45 each wheel ,havingV four teeth, and pivoted oneachv cam 44 is a spring pressed latch 46. rllhe position. of these latches .46 are controlled by the bell cranks 24, 25, as will be describen.

Referring now to fig. tltvThis figure rep-- resents a portion of a music sheet. At the uniformly spaced perorations 50, which are now commonly known in the art as rack holes, .and are a music sheet when it is-,employed for duplicating pui'- poses as a'inaster' roll. They, of course, may be omitted. Situated neigt below them, in' the figure, are'a. series of perforations 51,

which collectively form an elongated open,-

sustained note, y perforations, two per#A which areindicative ci a note ing, such as is indicative of a and next below such iterations 52, repeated. y `Figs.. 2, 3 and 4 oi the drawings indicate the operation of "the mechanism', Fig. 2 showing the -ii'st position before key 20 is depressed. Fig. 3 the second posit-ion when the key is first depressed, and Fig. 4, the condition of the parts with lthe key de pressed-'and held down. When thel hey is first depressed, the latch 4601i cani 44 is between the cecentrics 33,

iio

released and immediatelyI engages With one of the teeth on the ltoothed Wheel 45. This causes a movement of the cam 44 to the fright. Assuming now that the opera-tor has struck the key and immediately released it. When a key is struck, the coacting bell cranks 24, 25, arethrown intothe lposition shown .in Fig. 3, and when released, return on the upperendof the trip lever 43 has moved such levei, and released the latch 42 lution.

`on the eccentric 33 on shaft 2G which engagesv toothed Wheel 41, thereby moving eccentric 33 and causing the forward move-- ment of reciprocation of a punch.

It will be seenjthat no movementof a punch takes place in the period between the time the key is depressed and the time when the cani moved 180 or one-half of a revo- This movement is graphically indicated by the spaces a, Z), in Fig. 5,'and these spaces, it will be. understood, represent a. forward movement of the music strip, each space representing one-twentieth of an inch. A further movement of the paper takes place cfone-fortieth of an inch after the 180 movement of the cam 44 before a hole is made in thc music strip, because the eccenf tric 33 must aga-in move through 180 to make the hole. This is shown in Fig. 5.

The arrows indicate the depression and raising ofthe finger of the performer, and it will be seen from reference to Fig. 5, that one reciprocat'ion of the punch 'forward is made after t-he finger isrcmoved from the key; andfurther, that as the paper moves fourtwentieths of an inch for each complete rotary movement of the cam 44, the note holes 52 (indicative of single repeated notes),cannot possibly be placed in the niuSicfstr'iiat a distance less than onefifth of` anii'ch between centers. It will be observed'that this condition is only possible, by means ofthe interpos'ition of a time interval betweenthe striking of a key and the time nfii'eir 'J the' tiiip levert .permitsl a.:puncli to act.

Itwill be seen'tli'at` when the initial -movcment-1S -given the depression Eof a: key, the

cani 44'niove's through 180 degrees, punching` movement thentakes place, andgthatbefore the punch can again act, the:J cam Amust again move through 180, alltold, 3G0 de grecs, c., 180 degrees from its punching position to its original position',and. 180 degrecs from its original position to-its punch ing position.

The foregoing description has related held down. In 4such case, the perforation.

-tions coperatingto form an elongated opening as shown at 51. Furt-her, it will be obmagneti 60,. Wliifc'li'actuat'es abell crankv solely to the ac-:tion'vvlien a key struck immediately released. .Assuming-'now thatjlgg the finger hasstruck a key and thekeyism.,

illustrated at 51 results.- :.Under suoli con- 70 dition, the bell crank 25 vis held inthejpatli of .mveinentof the tail of the latch 46t-he effect of vvhich is to release the latch, andthe A cam 44 will stop Ain the position shown in Fig. 4, zlel, Withjthe highest point en .;itshcam surface bearing 'ii'pon the trip -lever '43.; The latch ..42 on eccentric`33, however,- remains 1n engagement with the toothed ivheel 41.

preserved, the punch will continue to reoip rocate. It Will be seen by reference vto Fig. .5, thespaces a, I), c, (l, representing the forward@ movement of the music strip, that a, Z),- is;` the same as was described in relation to peli-, foration 52,2'. e., before the tirst perforation was made, but that subsequently thei'e't o, civinej to the fact that the cam 44 isat rest,4 and the eccentric Breciprocated bythe .high 4 90 speed shaft- 26, that a perforation is ina-de, for each one-twentieth of. an'inch foriva'rd. movement of the music strip, tlie -pefrfora served, that each perforation is'inade within.. less time than was required by the'peijfornier to play thc note. For example, theA timer-.01;

quired to strike the key to produceperforation 51 is equal to time of six spaces, whereas;

.100 the time to pcrforateit is equalvto the timev of four spaces. This, of course, is due to thief use of the controlling devices actuated .by shaft29. I v' 'lV hat is true of the peifoi'ating operation of the mechanism as show-nin Figs. 1,:2, 3 and 4, as illustrated in Fi r. 5, also true of the mechanism illustrate in Figs. G, 7,8, 9 and 10.H These tigures'illustitehow the. time limit, described in relation to Figszgl, 2,' 3 and 4, may be interposed by other means.

Referring now to Fig. 4(i: In 'this figure, 29 indicates the slowv speed shaft. Lo'osely mounted on this sl1aft,.are a seriesbiglia-tes, 55.'V These plates are loose on tli`c sha t, but adapted. to -be tli'rongn into engagement Witliji the shaft, when releasedby the'. latches 50 by-ii'ieans of therotating friction disks e 2(3iiidicates tlieliigli speed shaft, .and 34 iis' the punches. 1 23, cord ifi-oni,keyboaidi Tliemi'o (the initial time limit), closes a` ircuit.l through springv clips 5S, dynamo 59TAv` :hich in turn actuates 'apendent cani`62, arrangedovcr a punch 34. The punch 15130 Consequently, as long as the linger is; f held down, and this position of the parts isj held in a reciprocating frame G3, suspended from ecc'entrics 64, on the high speed sha-tt can-again make the circuit, z'. e. has moved T 'g-Referri'ng to Fig. 7: Inthis v iew there is shown a tube 65. vSituated in this tube are a* series 'of balls 66. Underthese 4balls is arranged a"shutter 67. -A similar shutter' GS'is at 'the'botto'm ot the tube'. These shutters are lconnected to .bell cranks 69 through cord 23 to vakey of a piano. Lo cated'at the bottom, of the tube are the Aconta'cts '70,' '71'. AThe 'punching mechanism `shown is similar to that of Fig. 6. The operation of this form of device is as follows: When 'a key, is depressed, the'sliutter 67 allows oneof the balls 66 to dropi'by gravity, or accelerated, if desired, by 4any constant force in the' tube.' The time required for the ball to drop from-its position att-he top of atube to the bottomof *a `tube,: represents the time interval between the striking of a key and the actuation of a punch througlithe closure of the circuit by aball through the magnet 60, which controls the punch. 'l Referring now to Figs. 8, 9 and 10: In these' figures, t-he perforating mechanism is shown as' mounted on the top of an ordinary piano. In Fig". 8, the control of a latch 4:2

and an eccentric 33 is by means of a pneumatic bellows 75, which in tuiii is controlled through a pneumatic valve' 76, arranged in the path of movementof a hammer 77 of the piano action.

The details of the valve 7 G are shown in Figs. l2 and: 13. W'hen the key 20 isdepressed, a hammer 7 7, is thrown forward. This hammer strikes a valve 7 opening it,

which acting through a pneumatic 7 S operatesa bellows 7 5. thereby releasing a latch 49., and throwing a punch 34 into action. The time interval in this 'case is the time taken' by the hammer` in moving from its position at rest, to the position where it opens the valve 7 G. As will be understood by those familiar with piano mechanism. a

sustained note may be obtained by holding down the key. which'holds up a hammer as indicated in Fig. 11, to iiiai-ntain the valve 7G open. i

In Fig. 9. the cord 9.3 .is connected at one end Ato akey and at .the upper end to a sprinvi 80 which spring is connected to one arm o a weighted bell crank 81. In this construction, when a key 'is depressed, the spring 8.0 is put under tension, and the time interval is due to the time required tobring the spring toA the required tension to overcoinethe inertia of the weight on the end of the bell crank 8l.

and 'i The herein In Fig. 10, the cord 9.3 is connected to a bell crank 83, one end of which forms a circuit closer adapted to coact with 'contacts 84;, 85. S6 represents a highly 'inductive coil which lags the current in building up in the.

4trip magnet 87. IVhen a key is depressed, the circuit through the contacts Set, 85, iS closed, and by reason of the interpolated re- 'actance, the action-ofthe magnet 87 is retarded. This retardation isthe time interval between the striking of the key and the action of the punch.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the various forms of mechanism described for introducing a time interval, as many different ways of accomplishing this same result will .suggest themselves to mechanics, electricians and others.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and-desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The herein described method which consists in causing a previously measured period of time to ela-pse between the time the keyboard is struck-and thetime when said movement is recorded; Y

2. The herein described method which consists in causing-a definite predetermined forward movement of the music strip to take place between the' time of the striking of the key and the action of the recording device.

3. The herein described method which consists in causing a definite predeteri'nined 'forward movement of the' music strip to take place between the striking of a key and possible successive 'actions-of the recording device.

i. The herein described method which consistsin recording the time of depression of any key within a4 predetermined period of time shorter than that during which the key is depressed.

consists in causing a definite predetermined period of 'time to elapse between the ending described method which4 of one recording operation and the beginning of another of the same note.

6. The herein described method of i'ecdrdin'g a Aperforma nce upon iigsi'c' strip wnich consists 'in causing' a previously measured period of time to elapse between possible successive recordings of the same notes' 7 `The herein described'method of recording a performance-u' :""A" irgnsic strip, which consists inl i'ntrodncnig uied period of time bet'w recordings of any note.

8. The herein described method of recording a tone, which consists in making 'a record in a period of time shorter, by a detinite predetermined amount, than the time in which 'the tone was played.

een, the successive previously meas.

, cording ,9. A method of recording musical tones which consists in perforating a music sheet with a hole of the. required length inl less time, by a definite predetermined amount, than the finger of the operator remains unen the key in striking the note.

10. A step in a method of operation designed to produce a perforated music roll, which consists in causing a definite interval of time to elapse between the recording o two successive and similar notes, and such interval of time arranged to bear a fixed ratio to the speed at which' such notes are recorded. l

11. The herein described method which consists in causing a previously measure interval of time to ela-psc between the striking of a note and the recording of the note.

412.. The herein described method which consists in causing a previously measured interval of time to elapse between the strikf ingof a no'te and the recording of the note upon a moving strip of paper.

13. The herein described method which consists in recording uion a moving sheet of paper the striking of 'anote and causing a. definite interval of time to elapse between recording two successive notes, this lapse of 'time bearing .a fixed ratio to the speed at which the notes are recorded.

14C. The herein described method which consists in recording a note within a. period of time shorter than the time required to actuate the note key, the difference between said periods of time being predetermined and measured in terms of th A speed of the recording device.

15. The herein described. method of remusical notes which consists in causing a definite predetermined minimum period `of time 'to elapse between successive recordings of the same note.

16. T he herein described method which consists in striking a note, then causing a denite predetermined interval of time to elapse before the note is recorded, then recording the note and causing a second predetermined interval of time to elapse after the note is recorded and'before the same note can be again recorded.

17. The 'herein described method which consistsin sounding a note, then recording the note within a period of time, shorter by a given amount, than the time required to sound the note. A

18. The herein described method which consists in sounding a note, then recording the note within a period of`time, shorter by a predetermined`minimum amount, than the time required to sound the note.

19. The herein described method which consists in playing a.. note, then making a record of the note played within a period of time short-er, by a predetermined amount, than the time required to play the note.

20. The herein described method which consists in performing a portion of a musical composition, then making a record of the performance within a 'period of time shorter, by a predetermined amount. than the time required in performing such portion of the composition.

21. The herein described method which consists in selectively playing a not-e to be recorded, then recording the note within a period of time shorter, by' a predetermined minimum amount, than the time required in selectively playing the note.

22. The herein described method which consistsin causing a definite predetermined period of time to elapse between the sounding actuation of a note and the recording of the note.

23. The herein described ymethod which consists in causing a predetermined period of time to elapse after the selection of a note and before the note is recorded.

24. The herein described method which consists in sounding a note, then recording the note upon a music strip, then giving the music strip a definite forward movement after the note is recorded.

25. The 'herein described consists in sounding anote, then recording the note upon a music strip, and causing the strip to advance adeinite minimum amount after the note is recorded.

2G. The herein described method which consists in playing a note,' then recording the nete upen a,V music strip, and causing a definite minimum advance of the strip after the note is recorded.

27. rlhe herein' described method which consist-s in causing a predetermined advance of the music strip between the endingl of one recording operation and the beginning` of another of the same note.

28'.' The herein described method which consists in causing a predetermined advance of the music strip between possible-successive recording operations for the same note.

29. The herein described method which consists in causing a predetermined advance of the musicstrip aftera note is recorded and before another can berecorded.

30. The herein described method which consists in causing a predetermined period of time to elapse after a note is recorded and before another note can be recorded.

In testimony whereof, l at'xmy signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY PRICE BALL.

Vitnesses J. E. Pearson, FRANK OCoNNon..

method which 

